After-hours emergency phone number: 323-741-4666

This number will direct you to a GO Minnesota staff member, who you can speak with at any time of the day. GO Minnesota staff must be informed of any serious issues during a student's time in the U.S. However, if a student has a life-threatening emergency, they should call 911 immediately to speak with the police or other emergency services.

Administrative Matters

Institutional Relations & Marketing

For more background information on each of our staff members, Meet the Team on our website.

Program Fees for 2021-22 Academic Year

Undergraduate Semester

Graduate Semester

Undergraduate Summer 2020

Scholarships

GO Minnesota offers a limited number of scholarships to qualified undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in its programs. Scholarship awards are granted on the strength of a student’s essay. This scholarship is not need- or merit-based. More information can be found on the Program pages of our website.

Program Dates

The University of Minnesota academic calendar offers two semesters and a summer session. 

     Fall semester:  late August - mid December

     Spring semester: mid January - mid May

     Summer session: early June - early August

Specific dates can be found on the Program pages of our website.

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate students must be in good academic standing with at least 1 year of university level coursework. Recent high school graduates will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Graduate students must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree.

All students must prove academic proficiency in English.

Application Requirements

• Undergraduate Semester Application (includes Semester+Internship program)
• Graduate Semester Application
• ​Undergraduate Summer Application

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester - April 15
• Spring Semester - October 15
• Summer Session - April 1

Application Review and Acceptance Process:  
Please note: Applications are reviewed after the application deadline for each semester. The complete review process can take 1-3 weeks.

1. Submitted applications are reviewed by GO Minnesota staff for completeness, success at meeting eligibility requirements, and appropriate academic fit.
2. Any missing information is requested.
3. All complete and eligible applications are then sent for a second review by college-specific advisers (business, engineering, liberal arts, etc.).
4. Any course selection or academic concerns are communicated to GO Minnesota by the college-specific adviser. If necessary, GO Minnesota will communicate these concerns to you and the student. Additional documents may be requested, such as an updated course selection form.
5. Once the college-specific adviser approves the application, it is sent to the U of M admission office for entry into the University database and matriculation.
6. Admission letters are sent out by GO Minnesota to students via email. If applicable, the email will also include information on any remaining course selection concerns or ESL requirements.
7. Students are asked to complete and return the confirmation form. Once this form is received by GO Minnesota, the I-20 is processed and mailed to the student.

Students must meet the requirement on one of the following English language proficiency tests. Students with lower-range overall and/or writing sub-scores must take English courses as part of their academic program at the University of Minnesota.

Alternative test options are available for students impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Please contact our office for more information.

Undergraduate Semester*

No ESL course required

• TOEFL: 79
• IELTS: 6.5
• Minnesota Battery Test: 75 with writing subscore 83

ESL 3402 required

• TOEFL: 79 with writing subscore below 21
• IELTS: 6.5 with writing subscore below 6.5
• Minnesota Battery Test: 75 with writing subscore below 83

One ESL course and UC 1005 required
*Not eligible to enroll in Carlson School of Management courses

• TOEFL: 68–78
• IELTS: 6.0
• Minnesota Battery Test: 70–74

Graduate Semester*

No ESL course required

• TOEFL: 79
• IELTS: 6.5
• Minnesota Battery Test: 75 with writing subscore 83

ESL 5302 required

• TOEFL: 79 with writing subscore below 21
• IELTS: 6.5 with writing subscore below 6.5
• Minnesota Battery Test: 75 with writing subscore below 83

Undergraduate Summer

• TOEFL: 79 with writing subscore 21
• IELTS: 6.5 with writing subscore 6.5
• Minnesota Battery Test: 75 with writing subscore 83

*Other Accepted Tests

• Germany: DAAD B2 or C1
• Denmark: Danish upper secondary school transcript: Minimum GPA of 4 at A-level English or 7 at B-level, or 60 ECTS of coursework in English
• Sweden: Gymnasiebetyg English Grade VG or C, or 60 ECTS of coursework in English

Students submitting the DAAD, Danish Upper Secondary School transcript, or Gymnasiebetyg will be tested upon arrival and may be required to take additional English language classes.

This page provides direct links to every required form. Students have direct access to each of these forms in our Student Guide.

Financial Certification Form

• Undergraduate Semester
• Graduate Semester
• Summer
• Exchanges

Course Selection Form 

• Undergraduate Semester 
• Graduate Semester
• Summer
• GO Minnesota From Home

Confirmation Form

Student Acknowledgment, Release & Waiver Form

Health Form

Housing Application Form (requires U of M email account)

Transcript Requests (requires U of M email account)

Areas of Study

GO Minnesota offers visiting international students the opportunity to directly enroll in U of M classes for a semester or summer. A detailed list of available areas of study can be found on our website. 

Course Selection

Courses offered through the Carlson School of Management are available to undergraduate students but limited because of high demand from both degree and non-degree students. ​

• The following courses offered by the Carlson School of Management are not available to GO Minnesota students: MGMT 1001, BA 3000, IBUS courses, or BA 4501-4505 Enterprise courses.
• Alternatives include: Applied Business (ABUS) and Manufacturing Operations Management in (MM) the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Please not that these are available as online courses only, and visa regulations limit students to one online course each semester
• Graduate students may not enroll in courses at the Carlson School of Management.

Economics (ECON) courses are very popular with degree students and are often full when GO Minnesota students register. 

• Classes with the course designator “ECON” focus on theoretical and empirical reasoning.
• Students can explore Applied Economics (APEC) courses, which focus on how economics is applied in the real world to improve people's lives.
• Many students who are studying economics at their home university are able to enroll in business courses, such as management (MGMT), finance (FIN), marketing (MKTG), or supply chain management (SCO).
• Graduate students may not enroll in ECON courses.

GO Minnesota students (undergraduate and graduate) may not enroll in Chemical or Biomedical Engineering courses.

ESL courses are credit-bearing and range from two to five credits per course.  Visit the Academic English Program website for more information. 

You can find detailed instructions on the course selection process in the Admitted Student Guide. 

Syllabi

If your students require a specific syllabus, please contact Leah Brink ([email protected]). The university’s course selection system does not provide access to course syllabi. 

Registration

• Students will register for courses once they have arrived on campus.
• During orientation, students are walked through the Schedule Builder process which is a valuable tool in helping them register. Students are welcome to build their schedule before they arrive on campus, following the directions in the Admitted Student Guide. 
• Students need to bring copies of their transcripts to prove that they have completed a pre-requisite course.

Academic Support

Being part of a large research university can sometimes feel overwhelming for students. Fortunately, there are numerous academic support resources available to students. 

Transcripts

Upon completion of the GO Minnesota program, students may request a transcript from the University of Minnesota. 

Accommodation Options

Students have the choice between staying on-campus in university housing or living off-campus in an apartment. We encourage students to live on campus as it provides better access to student programming, opportunities to meet other students, and offers convenient short-term rental agreements.

More information about housing options is available in the Student Life section of our website.

Housing Application Deadline

We encourage early application. Deadlines are May for summer or fall housing, and November for spring housing.

Students are able to apply for housing after they are accepted and have activated their University account.

Students enroll at the University of Minnesota on a F-1 student visa.

The University of Minnesota issues an I-20 directly to the students, and they will need to take it to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for their visa.

More information on the process of obtaining a visa is found in the Admitted Student Guide.

Detailed information about what to expect when students arrive in Minnesota can be found in our Admitted Student Guide. Other helpful information for advisers includes:

Sample Orientation Schedule

GO Minnesota organizes a dedicated orientation for our students at the start of each semester. A sample schedule can be found here. 

Additional English Language Testing

GO Minnesota students who do not meet the language proficiency requirement must take the Minnesota Battery (MLB) Test upon arrival. More information about the MLB test can be found on the Minnesota English Language Program website. 

Student Communication

Checklist

Upon acceptance to the GO Minnesota program, students receive an email from GO Minnesota staff with a link to our Admitted Student Guide, which contains an important online checklist of items for students to complete both before, and after, they arrive on campus. The checklist includes links to required forms, assistance with setting up U of M email, and links to important visa, immigration, and immunization requirements. 

Emails

In addition, students receive a series of six pre-arrival emails from GO Minnesota staff to help them stay on track for a smooth transition to life at the University of Minnesota. These emails reinforce what the students should be working on in the Admitted Student Guide checklist. Review a copy of the emails that the fall students receive. (Please note that spring and summer students receive the same emails but on a different timeline).

Additional Resources found in the Admitted Student Guide

Medical Resources - links to insurance information and types of care available on campus
Student Accounts and Billing - detailed information for students about how and when to pay their bills 
Student Groups and Clubs - links to campus maps, clubs, activities, and programs specifically designed for international students
Living in MN - important links to transportation, safety, employment, and life in the Twin Cities